Board Meeting 10/07/1982

• Board Meeting Date: 10/7/1982
• Description: CWCB Meeting
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Meeting

The wild and scenic Rivers Act directs the Secretary of
Agriculture or Secretary of the Interior to study and report on
the suitability or nonsuitability of selected rivers for addition
to the National wild and Scenic Rivers System, and directs the
secretaries to evaluate the existing and potential uses of the
selected rivers and to recommend future management of the river.

In regard to State participation in these study and
repor~ing activities, the act further states:

The study of any of said rivers shall be pur-
sued in as close cooperation with appropriate
agencies of the aff:ected State and its poli-
tical subdivisions as possible, shall be car-
ried on jointly with such agencies if request
for such joint study is made by the State,
and shall include a determination of the de-
gree to which the State or its political sub-
divisions might patticipate in the preserva-
tion and administration of the river should
it be proposed for inclusion in the national
wild and scenic rivers system.

The original act (P.L. 90-542) designated a number of rivers
throughout the nation as components of the National wild and
Scenic Rivers System. However, no Colorado rivers were
included. The act also designated a number of other rivers for
detailed study as potential additions to the National system.
Again, no Colorado rivers were included. It was not until
January 3, 1975, when Congress amended the original act through
Public Law 93-621, that twelve Colorado rivers were designated
for study as potential additions to the National System. The
twelve study rivers included: the Big Thompson, Cache la poudre,
Colorado, Conejos, Dolores, Elk, Encampment, Green, Gunnison, Los
pinos, Piedra, and Yampa. Appendix A is a map showing the
location of the study rivers.

As provided for in the act, the State of Colorado requested
that these studies be conducted on a joint Federal-State basis.
The Federal aqencies concurred with the State's request; The'
State was represented by.the Colorado Department of Natural
Resources, acting through the staff of the Water. Conservation
Board. Each of these studies has now been completed and the
results are summarized in ApPendix C.

In performing these studies the joint Federal-State study
team had two major tasks to Clccomplish. The first task was to
determine if the study river was in fact eligible for inclusion
into the naional system. To be eligible the river had to be a
free-flowing stream and have related adjacent land that possesses

MEMORANUDM

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9/27/82

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